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“We feel we were not listened to. The senior staff member who told the nurse there were no concerns undermines our concerns.

“We were very concerned and do not feel that we received the support that we should have had. There’s a lack of communication between the professionals.

“The staff nurse attended and on one occasion did not even access nan as she was told not to access the patient. I find it shocking that the nurse was there and because nan was sat in the chair dozing she didn’t check her. It’s appalling.”

Helen Pichel-Juan, business manager at Ralphlands Residential Home in Boston, was not in post at the time, but admitted it was inappropriate for staff to tell a nurse they had no concerns.

She said: “The family know their loved one better than anyone else. The staff did as much as they could but we are totally reliant on medical professionals to follow through and they didn’t. Staff had called for a GP to attend but a nurse was sent instead.”

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The family also raised issues with no medical intervention after their loved one fell and banged her head and said that no risk assessment had been carried out following a number of falls.

Paul Cooper, coroner for South Lincolnshire, summing up, said a post-mortem examination found Mrs Hindhaugh had died as a result of the blood disease sepsis.

But he said she was a very sick woman who had heart disease and lung issues as well as a kidney injury and a congested liver and spleen.

He said: “I do not think the family knew how unwell she was.

“She was a privately paying resident at the home and began her stay on September 5. Within a month she died.

“She was first seen by a nurse for a suspected chest infection and treated with antibiotics. She was then seen by a nurse for a toe infection after a visit from the chiropodist. At this stage they said there was low clinical risk of sepsis.

“I do think that the staff pulling the family to one side was downgrading the family’s concerns. I think that was inappropriate and there was no need for it.

“There was then further deterioration and the toe worsened.

"Three professionals have said the redness was contained to the toe and had not spread.